Abstract

Glypican 3 (GPC3) is a well-recognized specific biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and as such, it has been considered a potential therapeutic target for HCC. However, the therapeutic benefits of GPC3-based approaches remain sub-optimal. In this article, we firstly reported that GPC3 was positively corelated with cell cycle related pathways but negatively correlated with EMT pathway, a major source for the generation of cancer stem cells. We then identified that GPC3 and CD133 were expressed by different subpopulations of cells in HCC tumors. We also proved that GPC3 could repress Hedgehog pathway by competing with patched 1 in HCC and the loss of GPC3 in HCC cells could make the cells acquire the cancer stem cell or metastasis phenotypes via reactivation of Hedgehog pathway and following EMT pathway. Finally, we found that the expression level of GPC3 in liver cancer stem cells was significantly lower than that in parental cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate simultaneous targeting liver cancer stem cells is essential for GPC3-based targeted therapy for HCC.

Abstract

Introduction: Gynecological cancers are often diagnosed at a late stage in Togo, due to difficulty of access to means of screening and a lack of technical platform. The aim of our study was to assess the knowledge of medical and pharmacy students at the University of Lomé about the risk factors for gynaecological cancers.

Methodology: This was a cross-sectional prospective study with a descriptive and analytical aim, carried out among undergraduate to doctoral students regularly enrolled at the Faculty of Health Sciences. The variables studied were as follows: the socio-demographic characteristics of the students, namely age, gender, field of study (medicine or pharmacy), study cycle (bachelor, master or doctorate), the fact of having completed an internship in the obstetrics gynecology department; the notion of education on gynecological cancers and sources of information and finally knowledge of the risk factors for gynecological cancers.

Results: A total of 640 students correctly completed the form. The mean age was 24.66 ± 2.7 years. The sex ratio (M/F) was 2.5. The students had a good knowledge of the risk factors for cervical cancer. Indeed 56.6% (n = 362) knew the risk factors of the cervical cancer; but knowledge of risk factors of ovarian, endometrial, vaginal, and vulvar cancers was low. The main source of information was the courses at the Faculty of Health Sciences. Factors associated with knowledge of risk factors of cervical cancer were age (p-value = 0.0002), female gender (p-value = 0.0001; ORa = 2.46; 95% CI [1.31–3.36]) and the fact of having followed a course on cervical cancer (p-value = 0.0073; ORa = 1.68; 95%

CI [1.25–32.08]). Having done an internship in the gynecology department was the only factor associated with knowing the risk factors for ovarian cancer (p-value = 0.00001; ORa = 2.29; 95% CI [1,64-2.72]) and endometrial cancer (p-value = 0.0045; RCa = 2.63; 95% CI [1.56–3.07]).

Conclusion: The knowledge of risk factors of the gynecological cancer by the students of the Faculty of Health Sciences is relatively low, varying according to the type of cancer. More than half of the students knew the risk factors.

Keywords: Knowledge, risk factors, gynecological cancers, students, Lome (Togo).

Abstarct 

Despite robust interest in the use of liquid biopsy technology in the management of cancer, there is a relatively small number of prospective studies that have evaluated the utility and performance of circulating HPV-DNA for patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer.  Although minimal residual disese testing as such has ushered in a new era of precision care by allowing for the molecular characterization and quantification of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer through minimally invasive means, there is limited amount of evidence supporting its usage for clinical decision-making.  Furthemore, operational and logisitical challenges are still being refined to best consider the cost-benefits of such platforms. However, the use of blood-borne, cell-free DNA to measure disease burden and to longitudinally monitor response is conceptually appealing and gaining traction for purposes of treatment individualization.  By quantitatively assessing HPV-DNA levels in serial fashion—at diagnosis, during treatment, and at various points in the post-treatment setting— this liquid biopsy assay has the potential to acquire tumor-specific data and to analyze kinetic information related to HPV-DNA levels which could improve prognostication, gauge treatment efficacy, and also identify patients at risk for disease recurrence.  For patients undergoing de-escalated treatment, this technology may be particularly beneficial to help select the optimal candidates for such an approach. The purpose of this presentation is to thus outline the available evidence to date focusing on prospectively acquired data evaluating the utility of circulating HPV-DNA for patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer.

Abstract

Cancer is a large group of diseases and the second leading cause of death worldwide. At present, various treatment strategies, including surgical resection with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, nano therapy and immunotherapy, have been used as common treatments for cancer patients. Recently, significant evidence from experimental and clinical studies has shown that melatonin can be used to prevent and treat cancer. Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine), which is generally considered as pleiotropic and multitasking molecule, secretes from pineal gland at night under normal light or dark conditions. Apart from circadian regulations, Melatonin also has antioxidant, anti-ageing, immunomodulation and anticancer properties. From the epidemiological research, it was postulated that Melatonin has significant apoptotic, angiogenic, oncostatic and anti-proliferative effects on various cancer cells. In this review, the effect of melatonin on cancer cells through cell cycle regulation, apoptotic stimulation, autophagy, epigenetic alteration and transcription regulation is discussed.